MONTAGUE — Kevin Erb is Montague's first new mayor in 20 years, despite having fewer votes cast for him Tuesday than for the longtime incumbent who died a week before the election.

Erb, 32, of 5080 Dowling, is set to be sworn in Wednesday as mayor after receiving 47 percent of the votes cast in the mayoral election. Henry Roesler Jr., who died last week at age 84 after a battle with cancer, could not win re-election even with a majority of the votes because of state law.

Roesler received 129 votes while Erb garnered 115 votes. According to state law, “Any votes cast for a deceased candidate are void and shall not be counted.”

Erb, who ran unsuccessfully against Roesler in 2009, was elected to a two-year term as mayor.

“I'm looking forward to doing the job,” Erb said.

He said he plans on helping take the city in a direction similar to Roesler's. Erb said he is looking to get his hands on a list of goals that the late mayor jotted down during the last week of his life.

Henry Roesler Jr.

“I have great respect for Mayor Roesler and the direction he had our city going,” Erb said, explaining that he wants to add a fresh look to city government. “He definitely set the bar high.”

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Roesler's death a week before the election caused city and county officials to review the city charter and state election law. Based on the total votes cast in the Montague City Council race, some chose not to vote for mayor.

“It's not really a true number either way,” Erb said of the election results, referring to those who may or may not have voted out of respect for the longtime mayor. “I'll never know if I would have beaten him. I was at least happy to see it was close.”

Erb will be joined on the council with two other newcomers, Jeff Auch and Lisa Kiel, who were the top vote-getters with 235 and 198 votes, respectively. Incumbent Thomas Lohman received 141 votes to keep his council seat. They all earned four-year terms.

The other council candidates receiving votes were incumbent June Schmelzer, 106; Cheryl Lohman, 98; and incumbent Leslie Ruth Chase, 46.